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Tag: atiku

  • I’ll create Electoral Fraud Commission, says Atiku

    PEOPLE’S Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar yesterday promised to establish Electoral Fraud Commission to try anyone found infringing on electoral laws.

    Atiku said the present government lacks political will to punish offenders.

    He and his running mate, Peter Obi, spoke yesterday on The Candidates programme aired live on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Abuja.

    Atiku said he and Obi have what it takes to end poverty in Nigeria.

    He said he has been able to lift 45,000 persons out of poverty in his home state of Adamawa.

    “A few years ago, I set up a microfinance bank and I brought in someone from Bangladesh and you know they are the best in the world in that area. I told him I wanted to lift people out of poverty and I want you to dedicate 80 per cent of your loans to women. You know how many persons I was able to lift out of poverty? 45,000,” he said.

    The former vice president said Nigeria needed a pro-business and private sector-driven leadership to create jobs for its 21 million unemployed youths.

    According to him, one of our major plans is to create jobs in the agriculture sector, which has the largest capacity for job creation.

    On corruption allegations against him, Atiku said he is the most investigated public officer in the country, who had never been found wanting.

    He lamented the dearth of middle class in Nigeria, blaming President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for the collapsed of the middle class.

    On Boko Haram, he said the setback by the military was as a result of lack of equipment and welfare.

    If elected into office, he promised to investigate military hierarchy indicted in short-changing the soldiers.

    On Shiites/military clashes, Atiku said military has nothing to do with the Shiites.

    According to him, police should have been allowed to deal with them.

    On farmers/herders’ clash, he said both of them need to be enlightened on the existing laws.

    He lamented the collapse of nomadic education, promising to revive it.

    This, according to him, will minimise the movement of nomads and allow them to concentrate in a particular area.

    Atiku refuted fraud allegation levelled against his wife, saying his wife had never been indicted or accused of such offence.

    “My wife has not been indicted and she has not been charged. So, there is no way you can hold her accountable. She has been traveling to America very often,” he said.

  • Atiku has learnt his lessons, says Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday said he could vouch for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar to reposition the country.

    Obasanjo made the statement in Lagos while speaking at the 2019 Island Club Quarterly Business Lecture.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Abubakar had earlier delivered his lecture themed: “My vision to get Nigeria Working again”.

    Obasanjo, in his remark, said he believed that Atiku had the experience, the capacity and passion to move the country forward.

    He said Nigerians should no longer find his support for the former vice president strange going by what he said or wrote about him in the past.

    He reiterated that he stood firmly by whatever he said in the past about Atiku and indeed President Buhari.

    He, however, said the PDP candidate had demonstrated what was expected of a committed and sincere leader by owning up to his past mistakes and showing remorse.

    Obasanjo added that Atiku had not only apologised to his political party and the nation but also apologised to him for the past disagreements he made as his deputy.

    He said that Atiku was not infallible like every other human being and that he, (Obasanjo) would be playing God by not forgiving the former Vice-President.

    “I have been called names because of my position on Atiku Abubakar, the Waziri Adamawa.

    “Everything I have said as far as I have knowledge of Atiku, I have not retracted and I stand firmly by them because they are to the best of my knowledge true.

    “And neither has what I have said and written about Buhari been controverted, if anything, they have been confirmed and proved beyond any shadow of doubt.

    “But Atiku has done things which are absolutely imperative for a leader to be followed and believed.

    “First, know who you are and present yourself as you are – a human being in blood and flesh and susceptible to human mistakes and human frailties.

    “Don’t cover up with sanctimonious veneer of bogus integrity, incorruptibility, uprightness, goodness and false figures and statistics, all of which are contrived to deceive, to cheat, to plunder and to destroy.

    “Atiku never claimed to be a saint and I never described him as such. I will never so describe any human being alive let alone calling him a Messiah.

    “On an occasion in the past when I said that someone was not a Messiah, some Nigerians out of bad “belle’’ were up in arms.

    “For me, as a Christian, the only Messiah I know and have is Jesus Christ and even then, the man aspect of Him was imperfect while the divine aspect of Him was perfectly messianic.

    “Secondly, a leader must be honest to himself and to the people he serves or he wants to serve.

    “He must identify and acknowledge his situation, mistakes, shortcomings and inadequacy; show remorse where and when he has erred, seek forgiveness and repent; and not passing the bulk or keep blaming others and fail to accept responsibility.

    “Atiku accepts responsibility for his mistakes, shows remorse and seeks forgiveness from his political party and subsequently from Nigerians.

    “He asks for forgiveness from me and as a believer, a Christian as such, I forgave him in accordance with the teaching and instruction of my Saviour.

    “For, if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you.

    “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your father will not forgive your sins (Matt 6:14-15 NIV).

    “If anybody blames me for forgiving Atiku, I leave such a person with God Almighty, especially as both Christian and Islamic clerics joined Atiku to visit me to seek forgiveness.

    “Anybody who does not forgive when forgiveness is sought with contrite heart cannot be a true believer and should not expect the forgiveness of God,” he said.

    He said past disagreements notwithstanding, Atiku demonstrated great leadership qualities when he was in office as Vice-President.

    Read Also: PDP: Atiku is a consummate democrat

    Obasanjo said he believed with the experience and courage of Abubakar, he remained the best candidate to move the country forward.

    “I must reiterate that Atiku is not a saint. Who is? But from what I know of Atiku, he will be a performer in all respect. I can say that again from my personal experience.

    “He knows the problems and he handled some of them in the past.

    “We now know that both Buhari and Atiku have issues and all of us as human beings have one issue or the other in different magnitudes.

    “But judging both of them empirically and for the task at hand, Atiku will perform much better than Buhari.

    “And he will seek for good and able people around the country and beyond and make use of them to achieve his mission and vision for the general good of Nigerians and the country,” he said.

    Obasanjo claimed that the state of affairs under All Progressives Congress (APC) had been disappointing and called on the citizens to effect a change with their votes.

    He also commended Island Club for providing the platform for leaders to articulate their visions for the country through the lecture.

    He said the series of the Club’s lecture had helped enriched discourse on nation-building.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that prominent Nigerians at the lecture included Senate President, Bukola Saraki, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus and Sen. Ben Murray-Bruce.

    Others at the lecture included a PDP chieftain, Chief Bode George, PDP candidate in Lagos, Mr Jimi Agbaje and a former governor of Ogun, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

  • Why we endorsed Atiku, by Ohanaeze

    Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has explained it endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar because Ndigbo were completely down.

    President General of the organization, John Nnia Nwodo who made the clarification in a Solid FM radio station programme monitored by our correspondent, said he who is on ground fears no fall hence the decision.

    “We are completely down, he who is on ground fears no fall; they cannot treat us worse than they are treating us now. Ohanaeze cannot be on the sideline,” he stated.

    Nwodo said he sees the forthcoming election as a war to change the status of Ndigbo in Nigeria, banish unemployment among youths in Igboland.

    His words: “It is a war to banish unemployment among youths in

    Igboland, it is a war to have sovereignty on our natural resources, it is a war to be recognized as equal partners”.

    Reacting to arguments the organisation should have applied diplomacy in endorsing a candidate, Nwodo said Ndigbo was completely down.

    Further explaining why the organization took the action, Nwodo said the PDP has given an avowed commitment to restructuring not only in its manifesto but by its presidential candidate.

    The Ohanaeze President General said the PDP Presidential candidate has given his commitment to restructuring not just in his campaigns but also in his speeches in Nigeria and abroad.

    Nwodo further pointed Atiku also chose one of their sons in

    the person of former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, whom he said is not a bench warmer as his running mate.

    Read Also: I will restore investor confidence in economy — Atiku

    Recalling Obi’s achievement as governor of Anambra State, Nwodo said: “He has husbanded the resources of Anambra State so creditably that no governor in Nigeria left the amount of savings he left for his state”.

    The former minister therefore said he does not think that if Obi chairs the National Economic Council of Nigeria, he will be quiet on the economic neglect of the South east.

    “I don’t think Peter Obi is someone who can chair the National

    Executive Council Meeting of Nigeria and be quiet on the neglect of the South east”.

    On the allegations some people were excluded when the decision to endorse Atiku was taken, Nwodo said they sent out circulars to everybody, adding that out of the 24 members of NEC, 22 attended while 21 voted in favour of the decision.

  • Atiku reports Buhari to US, UK, EU, France, Germany

    FORMER Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar took his case beyond the shores of the land yesterday. He reported President Muhammadu Buhari to word powers.

    The presidential contender cited what he classified as alleged constitutional breaches against incumbent President and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.

    He chronicled the alleged breaches in a letter he personally signed and addressed to the ambassadors of the United States (U.S., France, Germany, the European Union (EU) and the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom (UK).

    Atiku accused President Buhari of serially breaching the provisions of the Constitution and undermining organs and institutions of state to advance his personal interest.

    The Presidency had counselled the international community against meddling in what are purely internal affairs of Nigeria.

    Only yesterday, APC National Chairman Adams Oshiohmole reminded the UK, U.S. and the EU Election Observer Missions (EOM) that Nigeria is not a colony.

    Atiku’s letter reads in part: “I am writing you as Nigeria’s international development partner working together to deepen and strengthen our democracy as well as to help in the transformation of our economies and societies for the better.

    “As a presidential candidate in the forthcoming general elections that will be conducted and supervised by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, I feel the urgent need to share with you some of these key violations of the provisions of our constitution and to demand that you pile pressure on the Federal Government to desist from these violations and ensure a level-playing field for the general elections that are only a couple of weeks away.”

    He appreciated the stand adopted by some members of the international community on Nigeria, urging the envoys to speak against the alleged breaches.

    According to Atiku, some of the constitutional breaches allegedly committed by the President, was the recent suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen and his replacement by Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad.

    He said: “For the records, Justice Walter Onnoghen is the head of one of the tripartite but mutually independent organs that form the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “To attempt to muscle out the Chief Justice of Nigeria using phony charges at a time when His Lordship was primed to play a central role in the fast approaching nationwide electoral process represents the boldest steps in the march to undermine our democracy.

    “This is undoubtedly an anti-democratic act which my political party and I reject without reservation and for which I urge Your Excellency to condemn unequivocally.”

    The PDP presidential candidate expressed the fears that the alleged unlawful suspension of the CJN might affect the outcome of the 2019 presidential election.

    He also accused President Buhari of illegal purchase of Tucano Aircraft for the Nigerian military.

    The presidential candidate said the aircraft, valued at $496 million, were bought without seeking prior approval of the National Assembly contrary to Section 80 (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    But the National Assembly approved the $1 billion requested for the President to buy weapons for the military, especially the troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast.

    He also accused the President of disregarding court orders on former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki and leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.

    He stated: “The enactment of the controversial Executive Order No. 006 as an executive legislation which permits security agencies to freeze the assets of persons standing trial or undergoing investigation without recourse to court orders.

    “This is a usurpation of legislative and judicial powers of the National Assembly and the judiciary as enshrined respectively under Sections 4 and 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and reminiscent of the military era of decrees.

    “The above, and many more that did not make it into this very short letter, are the unfortunate actions of the government of a man who merely pays lip service to being a reformed democrat.”

    He urged the international community to stand by the country. “I urge you to partner with Nigerians to defend our constitution and play an active role in building our country,” Atiku said.

     

  • Atiku’s endorsement not Ohanaeze’s decision – Sec Gen

    Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Bar Uche Okwukwu, on Monday, described as huge lie and activities of fifth columnists the endorsement of Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar by the Ohaneze Ndigbo as its candidate.

    He said those claiming that the apex Igbo group endorsed the PDP candidate was on their own.

    Briefing newsmen in Awka, Okwukwu denied any meeting of Ime-Obi Ohanaeze where the body endorsed a candidate for Ndigbo.

    He said members were not informed ahead of the meeting, neither was a communique committee responsible for drafting the resolution arising from the meeting set up.

    He said, “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo never held a meeting of the Ime-Obi where we endorsed any candidate for the 2019 presidential election.

    “Secondly, if we organize the Ime-Obi meeting, we inform members beforehand and in the meeting, we also set up a communique committee that drafts the resolution or communique arising from the meeting which will be presented before the general house for ratification.

    “No such thing was done and anybody purporting to have had any Imo-Obi meeting where Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was endorsed as our presidential candidate is on his own.”

    Read Also: Ohanaeze goofs by endorsing Atiku, says Kalu

    Okwukwu, however, revealed that the apex Igbo association as a body would soon hold the Imo-Obi meeting where it would discuss the presidential candidate to endorse.

    “If we choose to endorse anybody we shall do so when we organize the Ime-Obi meeting and that will be in no distant time.

    He added, “There are Igbo sons and daughters from Igbo land who are contesting the office of the president of the country and that doesn’t mean that we are looking at only Igbo candidates.

    “When we meet at the Ime-Obi meeting we shall choose a candidate and you know that we have Igbo sons and daughters from Igbo land who are contesting the election and we are not limiting it to Igbo candidates.

    “But in the interest of Ndigbo we should support President Muhammadu Buhari for the second term and that is the only way to get to our promise Land.”

     

  • Ohanaeze goofs by endorsing Atiku, says Kalu

    Former Abia governor, Chief Orji Kalu, has berated the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, for endorsing the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Abubakar Atiku.

    Kalu expressed his disappointment with the group on Sunday in an interview with newsmen in his Camp Neya country home in Igbere, Bende Local Government Area of the state.

    He said that the John Nwodo-led executive of the organisation betrayed the people’s trust and exposed the body as being partisan.

    “Ohanaeze is a socio-cultural organisation and so should not be seen to be partisan. What the leadership did by endorsing Atiku was not in the interest of the Igbo nation.

    “The endorsement also did not enjoy the support of the majority of members but may be a committee’s decision,” he said.

    Kalu described the endorsement as wrong and capable of decimating the organisation into two factions, if not rescinded.

    He said: “I was very surprised that Nwodo, whom I have a lot of respect for, could do such a thing because that is not the right thing to do.

    “What they just did implies that we have two Ohanaezes, or we are going to have another organisation in a different name.

    “I will be in consultation with Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra and other people of goodwill to decide what we will do next, we are not going to accept it.

    “These are card-carrying members of PDP, they cannot use Ohanaeze platform to endorse any candidate, it’s not acceptable to us.

    “We want a level playing ground. I expected Ohaneze to be neutral, whoever wins, they should support.

    “I’m not even expecting them to endorse Buhari, we want them to be neutral because neutrality is the hallmark of every independent cultural association,” Kalu said.

    The former governor dismissed the fear that the endorsement would sway the voting pattern in the South-East against President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said that South-East APC had begun intensive campaign in churches and communities to showcase the president’s performance in the zone in just barely four years of his administration.

    Read Also: Ohanaeze tarred with the same Afenifere brush

    He further dispelled the speculation that the president hated Ndigbo, saying that Buhari had done for the area what PDP government could not do in their 16 years.

    He cited the ongoing rehabilitation of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and the construction of the second Niger Bridge as some of Buhari’s major projects in the area, to buttress his point.

    He said: “I don’t know why people always say that Buhari hates the Igbos because I know Buhari very well. He is a friend to Ndigbo. Am I not a friend to President Buhari?

    “I know that on February 16, Abia will give him more than 85 per cent of their votes.”

    Kalu, who is the APC candidate in Abia North Senatorial District, expressed great confidence that the party would have landslide victory in all the elections.

    “The party has the antidote against rigging,” he said, adding that the party also had what it would take to win the polls at all levels in 2019.

    “We will never allow anybody to rig us out in Abia again. We shall match them force by force and money for money,” he said.

    He gave assurance that he would pursue the enactment of bills that would help to transform the nation’s economy, create jobs and ensure agricultural revolution in all the states of the federation if elected.

  • It’s an act of dictatorship taken too far —Atiku

    The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday described the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari, as an anti-democratic act, which should not be allowed to stand.

    “This brazen dictatorial act is the latest action in the ongoing rape of our nation’s hard-earned democracy by those who dined with anti-democratic forces, and is symptomatic of the increasing desperation that President Buhari and the cabal pulling the strings have as February 16, 2019 draws near,” Atiku said on his Facebook wall.

    Read also: Buhari group to Nigerians: don’t toy with your destiny

    He added: “The fact that the unlawful suspension of Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen was announced just as it became public knowledge that the CJN was constituting the election petition tribunals is not lost on discerning Nigerians and the international community.

    “This act of desperation is geared towards affecting the outcome of the 2019 presidential elections. Indeed, it is not just the CJN that has been ‘suspended’, it is the Nigerian Constitution that has been infracted and, in effect, suspended, under the guise of the suspension of the CJN.

    “The case involving the legality or otherwise of the charges against Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen is in court, as it should be. So far, the judiciary has ruled in Justice Onnoghen’s favour. So, why not allow the court to adjudicate on the matter? What is the pressing urgency?”

  • APC to Ndigbo: Atiku has nothing, but deceit to offer you

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday warned the Southeast and the leadership of the Ohaneze Ndigbo that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had nothing but deceit to offer them.

    National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who was reacting to the Thursday endorsement of Atiku by Ohanaeze , told reporters in Abuja that the action of the group was a grave mistake aimed at deceiving the people.

    Issa-Onilu said those present at the meeting were probably friends of the former vice president who he had promised to make rich if he is elected, adding that from the reaction of Igbo leaders, it was clear that the endorsement did  not command the support of a cross section of the people of the geo-political zone.

    He dismissed  Atiku’s restructuring plan as  a convenient, simplistic and populist gimmick aimed at whipping up and exploiting perceived sentiments ahead of this year’s   elections

    He said: “We find it curious that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,  has tactically avoided speaking on his touted restructuring plans during his campaigns.

    “Our observation comes against the backdrop of the now disputed ‘communique’ issued by some members of Ohaneze Ndigbo on the 2019 general elections.

    “With a few members of Ohaneze falling for Atiku’s antics, it has now become clear that the purported endorsement of Atiku’s presidential ambition does not enjoy the support of most of the Igbos.

    “One of such proofs is the statement by the Anambra State government’s dissociating the state from the dubious endorsement of Atiku contained in the equally disputed communique.

    “It would now seem that a few people in Ohaneze are trying to misrepresent the interest of the Ndigbo and we wonder whether these people are part of Atiku’s friends that he has promised to make rich as a cardinal policy of his government.  Many questions beg for answers.

    “Besides the deceitful restructuring promise, what else do the Igbo stand to gain from an Atiku presidency? Nothing!

    “Could it be that Atiku and the PDP’s restructuring rhetoric are selective and bespoke for specific audiences? The answer is yes! Atiku’s restructuring rhetoric is simply a convenient, simplistic and populist gimmick aimed at whipping up and exploiting perceived sentiments ahead of the 2019 elections.

    “Ndigbo and indeed all Nigerians must be wary of Atiku and his PDP ilk who, in their desperate quest for power, are ever ready to play fraudulent political games and parade themselves as ethnic champions to the gullible. We must protect the sanctity of our nationhood.

    “Atiku has refused to speak on the nature of the restructuring that he is cashing in on. But little wonder because he is transactional in nature. Atiku has no plan for this country and he is not pretending about it.

    “He has said it clearly and on many occasions that he is seeking power to be able to sell off national assets to make his friends and himself rich. There is no doubt that Atiku only intends to use and dump the Igbo people.

    “Ndigbo should not forget that it was during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku as vice that Nigeria’s political history witnessed the frequent manipulated changes to the Senate presidency and setting of Igbo brothers against one another for political gains.

    “Without playing to the gallery, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration has pursued a deliberate policy of probity, inclusive governance and national spread in the allocation of our national resources and developmental projects across the country.

    “In particular, about 69 verifiable road and bridge projects are ongoing in the southeast. This is unprecedented in the history of our nation. Although the contracts for many of the roads were awarded by past PDP administrations, they were either poorly funded or not funded at all, hence work on the road and bridge projects were previously stalled.

    “Currently, the roads and bridges, which are spread across the five states in the South-east, are in different stages of completion, thanks to the funding sourced by the President Buhari-led APC administration from budgetary allocations, the Sukuk Bond and the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund.

    “The APC remains the most sincere political platform working to ensure better inclusion and mainstreaming of all geo-political zones in the governance of the country. We have held constructive, purposeful, country-wide and multi-sectoral conversation on core issues of true federalism and devolution of powers in line with the party’s change agenda.

    Read also: How Onnoghen’s trouble started

    “Ndigbo and indeed all Nigerians must be wary of the machinations of conmen who now masquerade as ‘messiahs’ in the garb of politicians. Their antecedents do not synchronise with the image they now purport which is dangerous. They are latter-day converts on the issue of restructuring who hitherto occupied public offices and did nothing on the issues of restructuring.

    “They have now regrouped to exploit the issue of restructuring in furtherance of their selfish political interests. Their sudden silence on the issue of restructuring is certainly ominous. The Ndigbo should not fall for this fraud.”

  • Elections: Atiku splits Ohanaeze

    Thursday’s endorsement of the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, is now tearing the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization apart.

    Some prominent Igbo leaders say the endorsement is nothing short of charade and the decision taken behind the back of a large number of members.

    The Anambra government is similarly irked by the Ohanaeze decision and has disassociated itself from the endorsement.

    Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, Science and Technology Minister  Ogbonnaya Onu, Labour Minister Chris Ngige, former Senate President  Ken Nnamani, former Enugu State governor Sullivan Chime, Voice of Nigeria Director General Osita Okechukwu,  and  General  J.O.J Okoloagu, said in Enugu on Thursday night that  the Atiku endorsement  smacked of mischief, coming on a day President Muhammadu Buhari was on a visit to the Southeast, commissioning  some projects.

    They spoke at a press conference, moment after Ohanaeze announced its decision.

    Ngige said that he was aware of an Ohanaeze meeting scheduled for that day and that the  President-General of the group, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, had agreed to move the meeting to 7 p.m, only to proceed to hold it at 5 p.m.

    “Myself and the Chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum had approached the Ohanaeze President and pleaded with him to change the date. He said he cannot do that; he later gave me 4 p.m, but I told him it was not going to work,” the minister said.

    “By 5 p.m, they met and issued an already prepared communique.

    “All of them that met are Ohanaeze PDP. So, it is now Ohanaeze PDP vs Ohanaeze APC. They have factionalized Ohanaeze.

    “I want to say clearly that endorsement has never favoured us. They endorsed Falae, he failed; they endorsed 3rd term it failed; they endorsed Jonathan he lost. We are not going to continue on this trajectory.

    “We are going to dig up our arsenal and all we need is  to fight this.”

    Onyeama said the Atiku endorsement would have consequences for the Igbo.

    Read also: I suspended Onnoghen on CCT’s order –Buhari

    His words: “Mr. President was visiting two Igbo states, where he commissioned projects, including the mausoleum of the great Zik of Africa.

    “So, it was inappropriate to have a meeting of Ohanaeze to discuss such a weighty issue on who to endorse. It was not the time to hold such meeting.

    “I see this as a decision that will have consequences for years to come. This is not decent for the Igbos.”

    Onu said he was rushing to attend the meeting when he was informed that it was over even before the 7 p.m it was scheduled to start.

    “There was no reason for the President-General of Ohanaeze to be informed of President Buhari’s visit and he still went ahead to hold that meeting. We must be inclusive in anything we do,” he noted.

    Chief Nnamani said the Ohanaeze never took into consideration that Igbo sons and daughters belong to different political parties.

    “One of the things that Ohanaeze came up with is that our son, Peter Obi was picked as number two in PDP. It does not make reasonable sense because there are people of Igbo extraction angling to be number one, but those guys endorsed number two,” he said.

    “On the restructuring they talked about, the APC as a party, to which I belong, set up a committee and it endorsed restructuring. But let me say clearly that anybody that is telling you he will restructure, be it President, Senate President or the Chief Justice of Nigeria, no one person can restructure. It is just a fallacy. It needs the NASS, constitutional amendment involving the State Houses of Assembly too.

    “So, those of us in APC find it totally repugnant. It is not in the interest of Igbo. Ohanaeze should not dabble into politics at all. If they want to register Ohanaeze as a political party, let them do so, after which those that are not interested will leave.”

    Also speaking, Chime said: “We cannot attribute what happened to Ohanaeze.

    “Nwodo’s two-year tenure has expired; he has left office. He is on his own. We cannot attribute what happened to Imeobi.  He just called his friends.”

    The VON-DG, Okechukwu, who moderated the session, re-echoed the views that the endorsement does not stand, as it lacked any form of legality.

    In their separate remarks, Okolagu and Ozobu also said it was null and void as Imeobi was not properly constituted, adding that the final power to carry out such function lied with the Ohanaeze General Assembly.

  • Igbo youths blast Ohanaeze over endorsement of Atiku

    A coalition of Igbo groups and Ohanaeze Youth Council Worldwide, led by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Friday condemned the endorsement of former Vice President and People’s Democratic Party(PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for the forthcoming general elections by Igbo-apex social-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

    In a statement issued in Abakaliki by  the Deputy National President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Comrade Obinna Achionye

    and  President,  World Igbo Youth Congress,  Mazi Alex Okemiri , after their meeting, the Igbo youths said they would soon make known the name of their choice candidate for the presidential election.

    The groups claimed that Igbo youths were not consulted and that the endorsement could stand.

    “Imeobi was not properly constituted to have chosen a presidential candidate for Ndigbo, and we believe that it will not stand. Our choice will unite all fronts.

    “Igbo youths were also not properly consulted and we would declare for our presidential candidate on January 29, 2019, in  Umuahia, Abia State and Ndigbo will be massively mobilized for that purpose.

    “It’s unfortunate that after our advice that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo should be neutral in the February 16 presidential election, the body failed to heed our advice. We will correct the anomalies.  All endorsements are cancelled until our declaration on January 29.  Ndigbo should wait patiently,” the statement said.